Construction of piers



Nov, 5, 1946.

C. M. GOODRICH CONSTRUCTION OF PIERS Filed Jan. 1, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ///'////`//'7///////////7/////////5 Flai INVENTOR 1 .1 7 7 A mGooDRlcl-l FIG/1 A f C Wr-537m Nav, 5, 1946- y c. M.- GooDRlcl-l 2,419,778

CONSTRUCTION OF PIERS Filed Jan. l, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATYQRNEYS Nov 5, 1.946. C' M' GODRICH 2,410,778

oNsTRUcTIoN 0F PIERs A iiled Jan. 1. 1945 .s sheets-sheet 3 WVENTOR C-M-GOODRCH ATTORN ES Patented Nov. 5, 1946 CONSTRUCTION or Pleas Chauncey M. Goodrich, Windsor, Ontario,

Canada, assigner to The Canadian Bridge Company Limited, Walkerville, Ontario, Canada Application January 1, 1945, Serial N0.v 570,830

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the fabrication of concrete bridge piers andsimilal' structures.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a low cost, steel reinforced, concrete bridge pier or `similar structure designed to permit erection thereof by an economical method of fabrication which eliminates the necessity of using caissons, air locks and other expensive and hazardous equipment ordinarily employed in the erection of such structures.

A further object is the provision of a steel reinforced concrete bridge pier embodying novel features of design which make it possible to safely effect a substantial reduction in the size'or mass of the pier as compared with known types of piers designed to carry the same loads.

A further object is the provision of a steelreinfomed concreteV bridge pier embodying novel features of design which require considerably less concrete and steel as compared with known types of steel reinforced concrete piers intended for use under the same service conditions.

More particularly, the invention consists` in Aproviding a low cost, Isteel reinforced, concrete (bridge pier or similar structure in which a metallic reinforcing and anchoring 'frame is embedded to strengthen the concrete `structure and'resist sidewise and over-turning movements thereof, said frame being grounded on bed rock on which the concrete structure is erected'and comprising a comparatively small number of tubular members arranged to effectively resist moments tending to overturn the concrete structure or tol move it sidewise, said tubular members being anchored in place by relatively short metal dowels extending downwardly through the lower ends thereof into dowel-receiving openings drilled in the bed rock, said dowels being grouted or otherwise'secured to the tubular members and to the bed rock.

Another feature consists in providing an improved steel reinforced, concrete bridge pier or similar structure of the character described in which the aforesaid tubular members are inclined so that they are widely spaced at the base of the Aconcrete structure and slope inwardly as they approach the top of said structural This feature of the invention increases the eiectiveness of the tubular members for resisting overturning of the concrete structure Vand `also facilitates the erection of a relatively slender, tapered, concrete bridge pier or similar structure which has a high load bearing capacity.

A further feature of the invention consists in forms 'usedin fabricating the concrete structure the provision of simple method steps and apparatus whereby piers `designed in accordancewith my invention may be erected without the use of caissons or air locks.

Other objects, characteristic features and ad vantages of the invention will bey apparent from v the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which` f Fig. l'is'an elevational view of a'bridge pier fabricated in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational View showing thebridge vpier as it appearswhen lookingin the direction indicated by the arrow X in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the section line'3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Y Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the section line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is aplanview of one of Ythe concrete of my improved bridge pier; and

Fig.7 is a side elevation of the form shown in Fig. 6.

As shown inv these drawings, my improved bridge pier comprisesy a relatively slender, tapering, concrete structure 5 formedwith relatively wide, flat sides 6 and 'I 'and relatively narrow, rounded sides 8 and 9 which slope inwardly from the bottom to thejtoplof the structure. .This concrete structure is erected'on bed rock I and has embedded therein-a metallic reinforcing and anchoring frame lII consistingprincipally vof two pairsof .tubularmembe'ra the members of one pair beingi'indicated at I2 and the members of the other pair'being indicated at I3'. These tubular memlbers are grounded von'the-bed rock Il) and are inclined "so that the members I2 lie paralle] with the sloping side 6 of the concrete structure while the members I3 lie parallel with the sloping side I of the concrete' structure. Each of the tubular members I2 and I3 isranchored in place by a` relatively short metal dowel I4 extending downwardly through the lower end thereof into' a dowel-receiving hole I5 previously drilled in the bedrock IIJ. The dowels I4 are grouted tothe walls of the holes l5 and to the surrounding lower portions of the tubular members with which they are associated. The upper portions of the tubular members I 2 are tied together and braced by upper land lower lattice type struts I1 which are fastened, by suitable connecting members I8, to similar upper and lower struts I'I connecting and bracing the tubular members I3. The tubular members of each pair are also tied together by crossed tie-rods I 8 equipped with turnbuckles I9. Each tubular member I2 is also joined to the opposing tubular member I3 by a series of vertically spaced struts 20 ibetween which are arranged crossed tie-rods 2I equipped with turnbuckles 22.

When the pier described herein is in service the verticalv loads.are carried principally by the concrete structure 5. The main functions of the embedded metal structure, including the interconnected tubular members and the dowels 114, are (1) to reinforce and strengthen the concrete structure; (2) to iirmly anchor the concrete structure to the foundation; .and (3) to provide adequate resistance against yoverturningor sidewise movement of the concrete-structure by the service loads and stresses imposed thereon. In this connection it will be noted that the concrete structure extends above the embedded vmetal structure and is otherwise designed to carry vertical loads.

Theimproved steel reinforcedconcrete pier described herein -is :preferably .fabricated in the following manner: The tubular metal members L I2 and I3 yare initiallygrounded on the foundation or bed rock. I Ain theinclined or sloping positionshownin Fig. 5..and.the upper .portions of these tubular members A.are theninterconnected vbythe bracing .means :previously described. The

tubular 4.members .are used as .guides for -drills U .which `are .passed l.downwardly therethrough to drill the dowel--receiving holes I5 inthe bed rock I0. The dowels `Vlllfare -then passed downwardly through .the tubularmembers and driven orinserted into the holes I5. These dowels are then firmly fixed iny position Abygrouting them to the walls of the openings or holes I5 and to the lower `portionswof the tubularmembers I Zand I3. AThe completed metal `frame Astructure .is then Tembedded inthe concrete structure 5 which is built insections, beginning with -the1 bottom` section A resting on the bed rockY I-0 -and -endingwith the top section (3- which extends' a `.suitable distance above the water line H. In the completed struc-y frture `all, ispaces withinrand -betweenwthe tubular metal membersarefcompletelyflled bythe concrete:structuref5.Y

The -variousfsections v`Aito G` inclusive of the .concretestructure- 5 lare ,successively'fabrioated L.with theaid :of suitable tapered Vforms such as :indicatedat lNijn-Figs.-fand '7. The 'forms used iin fabricating-.the different sections fof the concretestructure A:are,exact,duplicates yexcept fthat theyfare graduatedin 'size;.to1impart. to the concrete.structure the tapered configuration 'pre- .viouslygreferred to. -Aslhereshowneach tapered form 125` comprises Aupper, and lower i angle .iron

frame members `and29 to which the .wall vmemy berfVBB-.offthe form issuitablysecured, said `wal subeingfbraced on the-outside by suitable'vertically, reXtendin-g :bracing members 3I :extending between "the top, and .bottomwframe 'members 28 and:29 vThetopframe'member 2,8 is smaller than .the bottom .iframe *.member ZSfandfthewall 39 is formed so that `.it'hasba 1 predetermined inward v taper toward its :upper edge. The sides ofthe Awall3llare :bracedA against yrelative iinward. .displacement'by transversely. lextending 'upper and lower bracing 'members321 iDuring 'the building of1theconcrete structure 5 these'forms 26 may be successivelylowered 'totheir-proper concrete receivng :positions -from ia platform` .mounted on top of thetubular members ,or from a'frame carriedbytworbarges. v

Any-suitable'means may be provided for gui@n ing the forms 26 as they are successively lowered to their proper positions during the fabrication of the concrete structure. In the present instance upper and lower guide rods 35 are shown extending transversely across the form 26 near each end thereof in intersecting relation with cooperating guide rods 36 extending diagonally between the endV and side portions'of the form. These guide rods 35 and 3S are designed to engage the tubular members I2 and i3 as shown in Fig. 6 and thus properly guide the form to its final lowered position.

Having thus described the principles of my invention and the preferred embodiment thereof,

it will be :understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope and spirit of the inventionas dened by the appended claims. For example, the tubular members I2 and I3 may be arranged so that when shown in a sectional view, such as Fig. 3, they would slope inwardly-in somewhat the samernanner as shown in Fig. 5.

I claim:

l. A bridge pier or the like comprising a concrete structure erected on a firm foundation and designed to carry the vertical loads, interconnected, laterally spaced vertically extending hollow, tubular, metalreinforcing members grounded on said foundation and embedded in said structure-said members terminating below the top of said structure, and `relatively short anchoring .dowels extending downwardly through the lower 1 structure.

3. 1A bridgepierzor the-like comprisinga pouredin-place concrete jstructure erected on a firm foundation an'dwdesigned to carry the vertical loads and a-preeplacedmetallic skeleton frame em- .beddedfincand bonded to said structureduring the Apouring thereof and anchored to Ysaid foundation to .resist overturning fandsidewise movements of said structure, said frame comprising a plurality of interconnected.I laterally spaced,4 vertically extending, .tubularimetal-members grounded on said foundation,.and relatively short loadetransmit- .ting edowels anchoring the tubular'members to said foundation, `each --of said dowels extending downwardlythroughthe lower end of oneof said members into'apreformed; socket provided in the foundation andzbeing grouted in place within said member and said socket and terminating-:a substantial distance ,below the upper end of said member, the'size and strength characteristics and anchorage of said metal members being such as to effectively anchor andbrace the lconcrete structureagainstf all overturning or sidewise-displacing moments to which the concrete structure is subjected under ordinaryservice conditions.

`4. A bridge .pier orthe like vcomprisinga concrete structure erected on .a firm foundation `and designed to carry thevertcall loads and a metallic, skeleton, reinforming: frame embedded in said structure `and anchored to said foundation to resist overturning and-sidewise movements of said structure, said iframe Vcomprising verticallyv eX- tending, hollow, tubular members groundedon said foundation. andi terminating shortrof the top of Said` Structure, Ibracing means' interconnecting the upper portions of said members and relatively short anchoring dowels extending downwardly from the lower ends of said members into preformed holes drilled in said foundation, said dowels extending only a relatively short distance upwardly within said tubular members and being grouted in place 'within said members and said holes.

5. A bridge pier or the like comprising a concrete structure erected on a rm foundation and designed to carry the vertical loads and a preformed metallic reinforcing frame embedded in said structure and anchored to said foundation to resist overturning and sidewise movements of said structure, said frame including vertically extending, hollow, tubular members which are grounded on the foundation and are inclined so that they slope inwardly toward the top of the concrete structure, said members terminating -short of the top of said structure, bracing and spacing means interconnecting the upper portions of said tubular members and means firmly anchoring the lower ends of said tubular members to said foundation, said means comprising. relatively short dowels having their Aupper portions grouted in place within the lower ends of said tubular members and their lower portions grouted in place within holes provided in said `foundation, said dowels extending only a relatively short distance upwardly within said tubulall members and terminating a substantial distance below the upper ends of said members.

6. A bridge pier or the like comprising a concrete structure erected on a rrn foundation and designed to carry the vertical loads and a metallic reinforcing frame embedded in said structure and anchored to said foundation to resist overturning and sidewise movements of said structure, said means comprising a plurality of laterally spaced, vertically extending tubular members which are grounded on the foundation and are inclined to slope inwardly toward the top of the concrete structure, bracing members interconnecting the upper portions of said tubular members and anchoring dowels extending downwardly through the lower ends of the tubular members into the foundation.

'7. A bridge pier as set forth in claim l in which the tubular members are inclined to slope inwardly toward the top of the concrete structure and in which the concrete structure is tapered toward the top thereof.

CHAUNCEY M. GOODRICH. 

